I don't know if they're design choices or not, but some of the Rhodok troop trees seem inconsistent.
- Scouts lose their crossbow when upgraded to Veteran Scouts, but not their horseback archery skill.
- Master Swordsmen are guaranteed a board shield, but if they get a two-handed weapon they prefer that and don't use the shield, maybe because they have 140 proficiency in every weapon. Having them hold fire gets them to use the shield, but it really isn't practical in a siege. I really miss Sergeants from vanilla, and it's disappointing to see there are no top-tier Rhodok melee troops with board shields.
- Rhodok nobles get worse equipment as they upgrade. Armsmen are guaranteed full plate and board shields making them very durable in battle, while Champions only get mail and sometimes a relatively weak shield. Despite their superior skills Champions are overall less effective in battle and I prefer to keep my Armsmen unupgraded for that reason.
Also, kind of a trivial issue, but Spear Knights often don't have a spear, though they are effective nonetheless.